You Never Know What You Have Until It's Gone
by destinyTail0
Summary: Because we always take them for granted.
1. Chapter 1

"Adam. Your bail's paid. Get outta here."

I looked up from the concrete floors to see the bailiff glaring at me by the holding cell door, thumbing the way out. Getting up from the bench, I had to ask.

"Who?"

"See for yourself." The bailiff couldn't care less as he left for his post, leaving the cell open for me to leave.

I did, until I came to the police station's front entrance where the bailiff was relaxing at his desk.

"He's outside. Thank him why don't cha."

I didn't look back.

Welcoming the fresh air and bright sunlight, I looked around. The streets were empty with a few passersby and a car or two driving past. The sky was clear blue. Hmm.

A whistle rang nearby. I snapped to see who got me out.

… A kid? No. A freshman. My junior from school.

Blond. Blue eyes looking at me. Short. A yellow raincoat (why?). A red scarf tucked in (isn't it hot out here?). And a bright wide smile.

Ugh. He's the complete opposite of me.

"Jaune. Right?"

The kid brightened up and nodded fast. My eyes narrowed to shield against the sunshine in front of me.

I know this guy. Hardly. He's been around Blake and her friends lately, from the few times I decided to come to the Lounge. He's been friendly the day he joined us. Not that I would care, he's like a mascot. Kinda surprising though, since Neo's there too. If I had to guess, there's been a few times where she would threaten this kid. Wish I was there to see it. But the question here is,

"Why? How?"

Jaune tilted his head and frowned, like he doesn't understand. I felt a bit peeved at that.

And then he pulled out a carton of cigs. I backed my head away and looked at him weird.

"For me?" Pointing at his hand.

He nodded with that smile.

I can't really say no to cigs.

"Thanks." I mumbled as I lit one in my mouth, letting out a long puff. Damn, that feels good.

"*cough* *cough* *cough*"

I peeked at the kid. He was coughing up a storm, covering his mouth and wincing his eyes. Then why give me cigarettes in the first place?

"You aight?"

He nodded back fast with a grin, acting like his lungs weren't catching smoke like a fly trap.

With that, I turned on my heels and left. I'd rather be elsewhere.

Although…

"So… Why are you following me? And why did you pay me out?" I said to my tagalong, making obvious footsteps behind me.

I didn't hear anything at first, so I looked over.

He was holding out a letter to me as we walked.

I rolled my eyes and took it from him. I snuck another puff and blew it out away from the kid. Least I could do. Meh. With that, I began to read.

 _"Hey Adam, I was worried when I heard. I know you barely know me, but I care about you, my senior. Actually I care about a lot of people, but you mean as much to me as anyone else. You were pretty crazy when you started that fight. When I heard from Sun, I was worried. He didn't tell anyone else but me. So I did what I had to. Um… you're welcome? I'm sorry for writing this out. It doesn't help that no one would listen to me talk, so I think it's better to just write it out. It's better to convey feelings and thoughts that way, isn't it? Anyway, Why I paid for your bail? I don't want you to stay there. That's it. You're my friend, really. It's dumb I know, but hey, at least you're out now. So… what do you want to do? –Jaune.  
P.S. I don't mind that you smoke. Actually, I encourage it. It's a part of who you are and if you think it's not, then I'll support you all the way. I support everyone's decisions actually. I don't really have a conflicting opinion. I just think everyone is who they choose to be. You know?"_

I eyed the writer, who was busy coughing. Still? I barely puffed. Damn, those are some crap lungs.

"You want to be friends with me?" I deduced. He must be crazy.

He nodded in between coughs. Jesus, he'll be coughing out his lungs at this rate.

"…" I debated about having this guy around. I mean, I know him, sure, but we're not close or anything. I glanced at him again, still coughing. I mean, I've heard of the times Jaune's been acting childish and all that. He's pretty innocent from what I've heard. Helpful too, he's been helping everyone in the Lounge with something, big or small. Does he really want to risk hanging out with a guy like me?

"… Sure." Against my better judgement.

Jaune lit up like a Christmas tree and jumped up and down. Yeesh, calm down.

"Come on. I need a drink." I motioned him to come with, handing him back his paper. "I'll order you something. Least I could do." Stuffing my hands in my leather jacket pockets. I took a look over myself. Blue jeans. Black loafers. White tank top. Eh. It works.

Meanwhile Jaune hopped and skipped beside me as we went, like a kid...

Actually, I'm feeling a little less hinged…

Huh. Maybe he's not as bad as I thought.

Not too bad…

* * *

I thought back at the first time I actually met him. His smile and how obnoxious it was, how innocent it was. That raincoat. That scarf…

The lights of red and blue flicked from the corner of my eyes, illuminating the empty neighborhood street and the clear night sky.

I was leaning against a lamp post that was turned off for the night, watching Jaune's mother wailing on her own home's driveway while his father and two officers comforted her close by.

I was just taking a walk when I noticed the police cars and their blinking lights. I noticed that I was close to Jaune and Yang's houses. I was curious and I overheard.

I didn't like what I heard.

Damn.

Damn…

Dammit…

I actually liked the kid.

Fuck…

No one else was around. It was just me, the nearby officers, and his parents. Of course not. They had to be asleep at this hour…

Someone has to spread the news. Yang had to hear this too. I mean she and Ruby lived next to him…

No… Yang won't spill. I know she won't. She dated him after all. I knew that. I knew that she dumped him too. I didn't figure it out at first, had to piece it together…

Guess I'm going back to school tomorrow.

I looked up to the sky. Why? Because isn't that what people do when they don't know shit about what to do?

I shook my head.

I rummaged around my pockets and pulled out a box and lighter. I shook the box and felt one more was left. With a flick, I lit the cig in my mouth… before taking it out to just watch it burn…

With a grimace, I tossed it down to the ground and grinded it, longer than I should.

I didn't feel anything as my foot kept grinding.

I breathed out a puff of cold air before putting my hands into my pockets.

I walked off, leaving behind the cries of a mother who lost her only son.


	2. Chapter 2

Auuuugh…. My stomach…. It's eating itself!

What else is new? Pops and I are barely providing each scraps-for-dinner night for Mom and the kids, hauling boxes and making the same dumb thing over and over again. Who needs plastic cups anyway!?

I sighed, ripping off the factory cap from my precious blond hair. "Yo, Pops! I'm taking a break!"

"Hurry back, Sun!"

I didn't even look back when I rushed out the factory back door, out into the urban jungle, shedding the stupid factory uniform. If I work fast, I can steal enough fruit and veggies from the nearby market stands to make a stew tonight. Aww yeaaah, Veggie delight and fruit salad!

Hood on from my favorite collared shirt. Total discreetness. WoOoOo…. A true thief of the night! Haha! Oh wait, it's daytime. Bah, whatever.

And hoo, what is this? A helpless fruit cart left unattended on the sidewalk on my way to the marketplace? This is too good to be true! The guy who owns it must've left it to grab something. Hehe. I bet he doesn't mind if I 'borrow' a few bananas or two. Maybe some apples and mangos. Watermelons and oranges too! So much variety! It's like taking candy from a baby! I'm literally drooling!

"BOO!"

"GAAAAAHHH!" I screamed like a little girl. Not that I'll ever admit it.

The person who scared my wits end was a guy. Blond. Blue eyes. Wearing a yellow raincoat (okay. Why? First of all?) and a red scarf (more questions!). He was smiling at the weirdly posed me. Hey, don't laugh at me! I look fabulous the way I'm posing!

I looked down to see all the bruised and busted fruit I dropped. Aw… And I worked so hard to comedically stack it all in my arms like one of those cartoons!

"Okay. What's your deal?" I glared at the guy, who was leaning on the cart with crossed arms. His smile wasn't leaving, in fact, I could just feel the mischief coming from it. Now personally, I'd call him kin right then and there, but you don't mess with a guy's food. "Is this even your cart?" Couldn't hurt to ask.

Blondie nodded as a matter of fact with that giant grin of his.

Oh.

Crap.

"Uh… Hey… SO… We don't need to bring the cops into this, do we?" I was backtracking like a motherhubber. I could just run, but I ain't risking it right now. I even raised my hands to chest level in defeat.

And then the guy shook his head and pushed the cart at me. He was struggling with it too. Wait…

"Don't tell me you're giving this to me, right?" I had the dumbest dumbstruck looking face you could ever see.

The kid stopped his pushing to nod up and down and then handed me a letter.

"Uh…." I err'd like a dumbass. Still, I took the letter. What's the harm with a piece of paper?

 _"Hey! Um… So… I want to help. Your family's been starving, right? Your whole apartment complex, right? I understand. I can help with that. Here, I bought this cart for everyone. Don't worry about paying me back. This is my one good deed for the day. Take it! –Jaune."_

"Uh…" I repeated. Again, like a dumbass. When I looked up, the guy named Jaune already pushed the cart a good block away.

"HEY!" I yelled at the guy, who promptly stopped for me to catch up. He looked at me expecting something.

"Um… I… guess… Why?" I asked the one question I could say to him.

His response was to twirl his finger at the letter, which I flipped over.

 _"P.s. Don't worry about your family anymore. I managed to get a nonprofit to set up here in Vale. You and the other teenagers like you don't have to worry about working in a sweatshop anymore. They're working on enrolling you and everyone else to a school. So be grateful!"_

"WHAT!?" My eyes bulged at the facts written on paper. There was a stamp saying, _"Arc Foundation."_

I looked up again to see the guy who singlehandedly saved my family and my neighbors from starvation pushing a heavy fruit cart across city blocks to my apartment.

"Hey! Wait up! Let me help!"

I can tell this guy is a good person to get to know…

* * *

"Hey, Adam!"

I yelled when I noticed a familiar sight coming up in the hallway. I mean, it was pretty hard not to notice him when everyone around him was backing away like he was the plague. Yeah, Adam wasn't the nicest person to hear about.

"Shit, man! Where you've been?! Since when did you decided to come to school?" I couldn't stop this smile of mine when I opened up my arms for a good friend.

"…" Adam didn't say anything when he came up to me. He was looking at me with his usual red angry eyes and frown. He still punched me on the shoulder though. Hard.

"Ouch." I laughed off the sting. "Haha, you're still you, huh? Well, what are we waiting for? Nep and the others are at the lounge until class starts. I bet they'll be happy to see you."

It was then Adam scrunched his face and looked aside. Uh… I backpedaled in surprise.

"Did… I say something wrong?" I err'd as I moved out of the way of a teacher pushing a cart of supplies.

"No." He said. "We need to talk. You and me."

"Um… Sure?" I agreed. Why not? I can trust Adam.

Said bad boy tilted his neck to a nearby exit and walked out.

I followed and found him already getting comfortable leaning against a wall.

"So…" I clapped my hands together. "What's up? Why all the mystery..? Wait…"

I remembered.

"How… did you get out?" I was a little confused on the fact that Adam managed to pay for bail. I've been meaning to ask how he got out, but never had the chance. I wanted to help out, but I couldn't afford it. And it's not like I can ask everyone else to chip in. I didn't want to do that to them. Unless…

"Was it Jaune?"

My friend exhaled a long breath and closed his eyes. Bingo.

Damn, I didn't know Jaune was loaded. I mean… I thought his family was just a charity. You know? I mean sure he helped pay for some of the stuff in the Lounge like food for Nora and Ren and helped out Penny with her prosthetics and Ciel with her clock stuff. Not to mention, Neptune's new computer and Scarlet's costumes and Sage's hilariously expensive protein. Actually, he's helped everyone in the Lounge with something as far as I remember. Pretty great guy…

Okay. I'll admit it. Something's up and usually I'm the guy who knows this stuff.

"I mean I guess he would be the guy to help out. Cool. No harm no foul, right? By the way, where is Jaune? I haven't seen him all morning. Usually he's the guy who's the first person in the Lounge every day, but it was Pyrrha, then she had to leave for early practice. What's up with that-"

"He's gone."

Adam shouted in the middle of my train of thought.

"What?"

"Jaune's gone."

When Adam dropped the bomb, I thought a thousand ways of what he meant. I didn't want to believe any of them, because I'd always jump to the worst conclusion.

"What're you talking about?"

Adam didn't say anything, still looking away at the ground.

"You can't mean…" I was laughing. Why was I laughing?

Why can't I think straight?

"…" Adam didn't say anything. Nothing. Nada. Zilch.

I jumped to a conclusion.

I stood there dumbstruck, like a shocked idiot.

"We… we have to tell them." I turned back for the door inside and was pulled by the arm.

"Don't!" I was eye to eye with the school's notorious delinquent. I don't remember him being this pissed off.

"Do you want to be the one to tell everyone that the one reason why they're still at this school, is dead?"

I felt my stomach drop when he said that.

"The one reason why, we're still on our path in life, is gone? Do you really want to see their face when you tell them that? The reason why I'm still around. Why you have this chance in having a normal life than rotting in the ghetto?"

I shook my head when the realization hit me like a goddamn truck.

Adam let go of me and stepped away.

"He's the reason why the Lounge even exists. We never would've met each other if it weren't for him."

I stood by to catch my vomit while Adam shook his head.

"We can't tell anyone. Got it?"

"Yeah. Yeah…"

I looked up to see Adam walking away.

"Wait! Where're you going?!"

"Jaune's place. I need to know how."

"Are you crazy?! You just got here!"

"I don't think school is any more important than this."

"But…"

But Adam kept walking off.

And then I made a choice.

"Hey! Wait up! Let me come with!"

* * *

"I don't know, Jaune. It's kinda stiff." I pulled on the uniform collar. I gulped as I stood at my new school's gates.

Beacon High School. A pretty high up school. My first year as a freshman…

I wonder how the other guys are doing.

I looked at my friend who's got my back ever since that fateful day involving a bunch of fruit and a letter.

He smiled and gave me a thumbs up. Two thumbs up actually.

I smiled back. And gave my own thumb up.

Jaune chuckled and went on ahead, waving me to come with.

I did, with a carefree smile.

* * *

AN: A lot of things can happen when we're not looking.

So many thoughts zipping past our minds before we can properly think or write about it.

The memories can come and go while we can only watch them go by.

Everything can happen so fast that we can't catch up.

All we can do is just take in what we can.

And keep living.


End file.
